Update, 1/13/23: Even before this route launches in March, Delta tells DansDeals that that they will increase the frequency of this route from 3 weekly flights to daily service,
“We are excited to be increasing the frequency of our service between Atlanta and Tel Aviv to seven times per week beginning on April 16. As customer demand continues to increase, especially to popular international markets like Tel Aviv, our mission is to continue building a flight schedule on a route network that better connects our customers to where they tell us they want to fly most.”
The new flights should go on sale this weekend.
This comes after bizarre moves from American, which upgraded their Miami-Tel Aviv route from 3 weekly flights to daily service based on the route outperforming expectations, before cancelling the service altogether just months after launching daily service. That leaves American with 7 weekly flights between JFK and Israel.
Unfortunately the additional service begins just after Pesach, while American’s flights from Miami ends before Pesach, just 2 days before Delta relaunches Atlanta-Tel Aviv service.
This will give Delta 17 weekly flights from 3 cities between the US and Israel.
United recently increased service from Chicago to Tel Aviv, giving the airline 28 weekly flights from 4 cities between the US and Israel.
El Al remains the market leader, operating 41 weekly flights from 5 cities between the US and Tel Aviv.
Unfortunately, Delta will still operate this route exclusively with inferior ex-LATAM A350s. Delta does plan on eventually upgrading those planes, but there is no timeline for those upgrades.
HT: Mochada
Update, 8/21/22: Less than a month after they announced this new route, Delta has moved up the launch date from 5/8/23 to 3/26/23!
Note that it will be operated by inferior ex-LATAM A350s.
Delta has also reduced the Boston-Tel Aviv route suspension. Previously the winter suspension was supposed to last from 1/8/23-3/29/23, but Delta will now resume the route on 3/9/23. That route continues to be operated on A330-900neos with premium economy and business class suites.
Delta will operate just 1 daily JFK-Tel Aviv flight for the winter and summer season, also by the A330-900neo.
Originally posted on 7/29/22:
Delta started flying to Tel Aviv from their massive Atlanta hub back in 2006, but ended in 2011 when the route shifted to JFK.
Since then the airline has tried and failed to make a 2nd daily flight from JFK work, but they did start flying 3 times weekly between Boston and Tel Aviv this year. The airline is putting those Boston flights on hold between 1/8/23-3/29/23 before resuming them on 3/30.
Starting on 5/8/23 the airline will also fly 3 times weekly between Atlanta and Tel Aviv. Best of all, it will be operated by their flagship A350-900 aircraft. The Boston and JFK routes are operated by the A330neo.
The flight will depart Atlanta at 2pm and arrive into Israel at 9:15am the next day. It will depart Tel Aviv at 11:30am and arrive at 5:55pm the same day.
I’m not a big fan of those flight times as I find the late night red-eye flights to be much better to and from Tel Aviv, where there is plenty of time for a meal and a full night of sleep. We have found the red-eyes to and from Israel to be much better for the kids as well.
Delta tells DansDeals that the flights will go on sale starting tomorrow.
The airline also announced their previously expected launch of 3 weekly Atlanta-Cape Town flights beginning 12/17 on the A350-900.
Delta will launch 3 weekly Los Angeles to Tahiti flights beginning 12/17 on the A767-300ER.
For those keeping score at home, here are the 108 weekly flights being offering by airlines between North America and Israel at peak times:
- Atlanta: 3 weekly flights on Delta (A350-900, route begins 5/8/23)
- Boston: 3 weekly flights on Delta (A330-900neo, suspended 1/8/23-3/29/23) and 3 weekly flights on El Al (787-8, 3rd weekly begins 10/30/22)
- Chicago: 3 weekly flights on United (787-8).
- JFK: 7 weekly flights on American (777-200), 7 weekly flights on Delta (A330-900neo), 16 weekly flights on El Al (787-9)
- Los Angeles: 6 weekly flights on El Al (787-9).
- Miami: 7 weekly flights on American (777-200 through 10/28, then 787-8 starting 10/30 when flight moves to daily), 5 weekly flights on El Al (787-9).
- Montreal: 3 weekly flights on Air Canada (787-8)
- Newark: 14 weekly flights on United (787-10), 11 weekly flights on El Al (787-9)
- San Francisco: 7 weekly flights on United (777-200)
- Toronto: 7 weekly flights on Air Canada (787-9), 3 weekly flights on El Al (787-8, route ending after 10/27).
- Washington DC: 3 weekly flights on United (787-8)
Will you fly on Delta’s new flights?
HT: Leon F.
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55 Comments On "[Route Upgraded To Daily Service!] After More Than A Decade, Delta Will Resume Flying Between Atlanta And Tel Aviv!"
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Wonder if elal will bring back the Vegas route. Seems like a good opportunity now that they are potentially bringing 777 back online.
Tough to make the economics work with just 1 weekly flight.
I’d assume they would have to go to 3X per week. Which if they have surplus long haul aircraft, could happen. Unless they are focused on going east (UAE, India, Thailand, Australia).
LAS is a low yield market. I’m sure they can do better, especially with Saudi airspace opening.
I’d be surprised to see it return anytime soon.
What about Dallas? Doesn’t AA have a route there?
https://www.dansdeals.com/airfare-deals/israel-flights/american-now-selling-tickets-return-tel-aviv/
Oh, not sure how I missed that.
I loved this flight when it was running. Took it 3-4 times growing up. We live in a city with a smaller airport and no direct flight to JFK, IAD, or BOS. It is very difficult getting to TLV with just 1 stop. We do have flights to ATL every hour which makes this flight very easy logistically. However, with 2 young kids I would have liked them to be red eyes so the kids would sleep. But it’s better than trying to navigate 4 airports with young children
United’s ORD flight times are a lot better.
Note sure what Delta is thinking with these daytime flights from TLV to Boston and Atlanta. I’m not a fan of those at all.
Yes United has decent times flying through EWR or ORD, both with direct flights from my hometown. But United is very pricy on their TLV flights
The 9:15 arrival in TLV isn’t bad. It’s the return time that confuses me. But I guess they are trying to keep the plane on the ground in TLV for as short a time as possible
Correct, one necessitates the other.
It’s also a pretty aggressive turnaround time with no slack built in for Delta’s inevitable delays.
You can always take the JFK route on the way back. Gives options!
I apologize but I feel the opposite. The 915 am arrival in Israel means you don’t get much sleep coming in and now you have to navigate an entire day of daylight. on the return it’s not so bad – you have a relatively decent night of sleep prior to airport and then even though the flight is all daylight, upon arrival in ATL you have a short night.
I was told United ORD-TLV is going to fly daily.(awaiting a UA official announcement) @Dan Do you think AA will start ORD-TLV since DFW is cancelled?
Where do you live?
PLEASE bring back PHIL!
That would be AA, but it seems like AA wants to focus on JFK and MIA for now.
I can see JFK going 2x daily before PHL comes back.
Backed out of Dallas 😉 , wonder what’s next for AA though.
Whats the most effetive way to get AA to reconsider this route?
Od, I live near PHL a airport. If you follow the volume of nonstop AA flights to FLL (1x day in the fall), we would be lucky if AA continues to have the flight volume it has at the moment. I think we better expect to see enormous cuts as it is.
ATL to TLV at 2pm is a wonderful time of departure. You don’t leave when you’re exhausted. You can eat a meal, watch a movie, and sleep and land at a decent hour. So much better than 11:45pm from JFK where you’re grumpy, tired, not too hungry, and can’t properly rest until about 2am when the meals are done. The reverse is a bit tough, but 11:30 is better than 7:30 like many European flights.
The problem is with kids that they’re woken up with the whole plane at 12:30am ET for breakfast, you land at 2am ET, and then there’s an entire day ahead of you and you probably can’t get into your hotel until 4pm.
The reverse as you note, is even worse.
So why do airlines schedule that?
I wonder if this is related to maximizing utilization of aircraft. They are turning the aircragt around in two hours rather than what otherwise would be 8 hours. That aircraft can then be slated to depart in two hours to another location.
I suspect the original reason for all the flights leaving TLV around midnight was related to maximizing weight by taking off with a lower ambient temperature.
2 hours is really aggressive for TLV. I’d bet that return flight from TLV is going to see a lot of delays.
With a slightly longer turnaround time, 2 red-eyes becomes feasible, it doesn’t need to be 8 hours.
It’s a terrible time for those of us on the West Coast. Early flights don’t get into Atlanta until after 2:00.
ATL to TLV is only 20 minutes shorter NS flight than SFO to TLV. (UA red-eye arriving 8PM) which if your West coast makes more sense than 4-5 hr flight to ATL then 13:45 hr flight to TLV
I like many other much prefer flying red-eyes flying to the east coast or flying TATL/TPAC
Sounds great. Would love to fly that route!
Awesome news! Will these be bookable on Air France?
Is there really demand for 108 weekly flights from the USA to Israel? If so is this demand new in the last few years or was it just previously underserved. If it’s new, what caused the increase in demand. If it was underserved, especially in a time when airlines are short on everything from planes to staff, why launch all these flights now.
I’m thrilled to see all the growth in TLV for sure, it just doesn’t make much sense to me.
Now line up some availability in J and an AF transfer bonus, chefs kiss
I’m curious as to why the 2nd daily flight from JFK never panned out. Is it not profitable for LY?
Agree the times for the Atlanta times are terrible.
the flight actually did pan out until AA entered the market
and axed off the whole flight
We need to ask @delta if they are flying the REAL 350-900 or the repurposed LATAM A350 with fake buissness class
A359
I Just checked out the delta app
They are flying the old LATAMA 359 with 2 2 2 buissness class
Not worth the price of full buissness clas
At least guc will still upgrade to d1
what is a “…on the A767-300ER.”??
why dont they do dtw instead wont it make more sense?
it has sizble jewish comunity(also palistenian) plus it is close to chicago and they can face of with united
DTW? It’s an underperformed airport. While nearly every urban Airport has witnessed significant passenger volume growth, DTW has remained ~stagnant for 15+ years. I have no source,but I feel like Delta has little interest growing that airport
HAS ANY ONE CHECKED THE PRICING ? 8200 ???? FOR ROUND TRIP IN ECONOMY WOA
Newark on united was 777-300 back in February when I booked row 9. Then they suddenly switched on me to 787 and left my former bulkhead seat smack in middle of the section. I wouldn’t complain if I hadn’t lost my bassinet seat. Is there anything to do at this point?
55 weekly flights between NYC airports and TLV. Nice!
ORD is 4x from November to March
PHL-TLV!!!!! Please!!?? Why do these airlines not see the growth in the travel base from Ocean County NJ?
The ex LATAM a350 gets a worse rap than it deserves. Having flown recently, it is significantly more comfortable than Delta suites, which are more gimmick than anything else, albeit significantly more private than the LATAM a350. The seat itself is several inches wider and had an ottoman instead of a snug cubby for your feet.
Likely depends on where you’re sitting. The middle seats have direct aisle access and nobody climbing over you…
Flew this A350 configuration….have to be honest, if you’re flying with someone else, I liked this better than the “suites” for overnight flights
The seat is MUCH more open and much more comfortable to sleep.
Obviously if you’re going solo, it is a major downgrade since you have to sit next to someone.
You think they made this decision after American canceled their Miami flight, so now they can get more traffic?
For some, these delta a3500 are actually superior. Especially when using GUC being able to confirm in advance.
The award prices are crazy + in the limited dates that I checked there was no availability for upgrade certificates
their flights are all at 11 am
who wants to sit 12 hours on plane after you just woke up in the morning!
dan
any news re 3pm delta flight resuming?
This was good for Thursday travel
Is United suspending its nonstop IAD-TLV route this year? There are no nonstop flights showing in their search engine beyond May 2023.
I see it through end of schedulimg still.